Amram, David. (b. 1930)
Two Typed Letters Signed to Raymond Lewenthal
Two early typed letters signed from the American composer, composer, conductor, multi-instrumentalist, and author who is noted for integrating jazz and world music into his work. To American pianist Raymond Lewenthal. December 1, 1965 and July 29, 1966; each 1 p. In the first letter, Amram congratulates Lewenthal on returning to the concert stage and for championing the music of Charles-Valentin Alkan (here "Alkin"). In the second letter, Amram reports that he has been awarded a Rockefeller grant and will be "the first composer in residence with the New York Philharmonic for this coming season [...] It really will be great to be paid and also get a chance to write some music and also it will be a great education." Fine. 7.25 x 10.25 inches (18.4 x 26.3 cm) and 8.5 x 11 inches (21.7 x 28 cm).Raymond Lewenthal (1923–1988) was an American pianist. Lewenthal made his debut in 1948 with Dimitri Mitropoulos and the Philadelphia Orchestra. The occasion marked the first time a soloist had been invited to play Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 under Mitropoulos's direction—that being a work which the conductor was famous for playing himself. The success of this performance was followed a few weeks later by Lewenthal's New York recital debut. These events launched his North American career, which flourished until it came to a sudden halt in 1953; while walking through New York's Central Park, Lewenthal was attacked by a gang of hoodlums and suffered broken bones in his hands and arms. Although he did recover and return to performing, with a particular focus on the works of lesser-known Romantic composers, his career never quite lived up to the promise of his debut. (17308)
TLS Classical Music